The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1887-05-12
LETTER FROM THE POPE.
Translation Of . Letter From Rome to Bishop
Ireland F~ayoring Total Abstinence.

Ireland Favoring Total Abstinence.
The following is q translation oil the
important papal brief in favor of the total
abstinence movement, addressed to the
IT. Rev. DR.. Ireland, Bishop OF st. Paul,
Mimi:
To Our Venerable Brother, John Ireland.
Bishop of st. Paul, Minn.-Venerable
Brother: Health and apostolic benedic.
ton. The admirable works of piety
s snS sn"fis N b &. which 6nit eSr 's statss
labor to promote not only their own tenn
poral and eternal welfare. but also that of
their fellow citizens, and which you have
recently related to us, give to us exceeding
great consolation. And above all we have
rejoiced to learn with what energy and zeal,
by means OF various excellent associations,
and especially through the Catholic Total
Abstinence Union, you combat the de-
structive vice OF intemperance. For it is
well known to us how %ruinous, how deplor.
able is the injury both to faith and to
morals that is to be feared from intern
perance in drink. Nor can we sufficient
~ praise the prelates OF The United
States, who recently in the Plenary Coun-
Gil OF Baltimore with weightiest words con-
demned this abuse, declaring it to be a per.
petual incentive to sin and a fruitful root
OF all evils, plupging the families of the in
temperate into the direst ruin, and draw.
ingnumberless| souls downito everlasting per.
dltlon; declaring, moreover, that the faith
iul who yield to this vice of intemperance
become thereby a scandal to non-Catholics
and a great hindrance to the propagation
of the true religion.
Hence we esteem worthy of all common
dalton the noble resolve ofyour pious asso-
Citations, by which they pledge themselves
TO abstain totally from every kind OF in
toxicating drink. Nor can it at all be
doubted that this determination is the
proper and the truly efficacious remedy for
this very great evil; and that so much the
more strongly will all be induced to put this
bride upon appetite by how much the
greater are the dignity and Influence OF
those who give the example. But create ut
OF all in this matter should be
the zeal-pof priests, who, as they are
called to instruct the people in the
word OF life, and to mold them to Chris
tian morality, should also, and above
all, walk before them in the practice of
virtue. Let pastors, therefore, do their
best to drive the plague Of intemperance
from the fold Of Christ by assiduous
preaching and exortation, and to shine
before all as models of abstinence, that 80
the many ealamities with which this vice
threatens both church and state NAV, bv
their strenuous ndeavors, be averted.
And we most earnestly beseech Almighty
God that, in this important matter, he
may g%raciously favor your desires, direct
your counsels, and assist your endeavors;
and as a pledge OF the divine protection,
and as a testimony OF our paternal affec-
ton we most lovingly bestow upon you,
venerable brother, and upon your asso-
clates in this holy league, the apostolic
benediction.
Given at Rome, from st. Peters, this
27th day OF March, in the year 1887, the
tenth year OF our pontifcate.
LEO XIII, Pope.